Napoli to sign "top player" in January according to Aurelio De Laurentiis

Well, Napoli could be in for one heck of a treat this January -- team president Aurelio De Laurentiis has promised that he's going to sign a "top player" for the partenopei this January, making good on a promise he made before Christmas: if fans went to see his new movie, he'd make the deal.

Well, Natale col Boss did well at the box office, so De Laurentiis is making good. As he confirmed in an interview with Radio Kiss Kiss, Napoli are now going to go to work to sign a major talent to add to the squad.

[My] promise to buy a truly important player will be maintained.

At Napoli we need champions -- players who are right for the role they're needed for.

Obviously when you want to buy you also need a club who's willing to sell -- you can't point a gun at anyone -- but we have already started negotiating with a number of players in a number of countries, all of whom would be key to improving our squad.

When you have such quality in the squad as we do, improving it is a difficult task in itself!

-Source: ESPN FC

ADL did note that the squad is already "extraordinary," and that adding in a big-time player to a squad like Napoli's has to be handled carefully. They need to choose someone they feel can adapt to Maurizio Sarri's tactics quickly, as well as someone who can fit into the squad not only from a tactical and technical level, but in terms of their personality as well. This is a pretty tight-knit group right now -- it's not going to be easy for a newcomer to fit in unless Cristiano Giuntoli makes sure he's the right kind of person to get along with everyone.

De Laurentiis didn't do much to indicate who the new player might be, beyond some guidelines on what he's looking for age- and experience-wise. He wants a player with a few seasons under his belt to help speed their adjustment and provide a bigger immediate impact, but not so many years in the game that he'll be a short-timer; ADL wants this big purchase to be one that helps lead the team for the rest of this season, but for the next two or three or four or more seasons to come.

That means no teenagers, no matter how much promise they have, and it also means no 30-plus year old players. That's been pretty typical of their transfer strategy the last couple of years, but it's the first time it's been said so formally in public. Expect the player they sign, whoever he winds up being, to be around 25 years old -- that's right in the sweet spot of what De Laurentiis wants to see for experience and longevity.

Other than that, though, we have no idea who Napoli are looking at, not even a vague position group or role. Who do you think this new signing could be?